Manchester United have been handed a boost in their bid to sign a replacement for Andre Onana as a £40m star has ‘offered himself’ to the Red Devils in a ‘major twist’.
It was claimed back in April that Onana had been ‘sentenced’ to the Old Trafford exit, with Nice’s Marcin Bułka and Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez among a whole host of goalkeepers linked with a move to replace the Cameroonian.
But transfer expert Ben Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT last week that the United bosses hadn’t yet decided whether to source a new stopper or retain Onana as first choice.
The report stated:
‘Onana went on holiday focused on Manchester United as he has not been warned that he is for sale or at risk of losing his regular starting berth, GMS sources understand, but influential figures are assessing the market and will communicate their decision to him after the initial plan was to bring in a replacement for Altay Bayindir ahead of his expected exit.’
A report on Monday then claimed that they have made their minds up, or rather Amorim has made the decision for them – Onana will remain United’s No.1 goalkeeper.
The Portuguese boss has ‘conveyed to the board his intention to count on him as a key piece in his project’ and ‘does not contemplate any other alternative’.
It’s claimed Amorim ‘trusts’ Onana and still sees him as the ‘ideal profile’ to build from the back thanks to his ‘technical conditions and ability to play with his feet’.
He insists that Onana can ‘redeem himself with a more solid structure and a well-defined idea of the game’, but the United boss may have his head turned now that Villa’s Martinez ‘has offered himself’ to the club.
GIVEMESPORT claim the World Cup winner wants to join the Red Devils and that Villa ‘have refused to rule out reluctantly granting his wish due to fears of breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules’.
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Martinez looked as though he was waving goodbye to the Villa fans after victory over Tottenham last month in their final home game of the season and ‘in a major twist, Martinez has made it clear that he is willing to join Manchester United if they make an approach’.
The report claims Villa want £40m for the 32-year-old as they use AC Milan’s £25m valuation of Mike Maignan amid interest from Chelsea in the France international, ‘complicating matters for Manchester United and Martinez’, though it’s thought Villa do need to sanction big sales amid their PSR concerns.
Maignan has just a year left to run on his deal while Martinez is under contract at Villa park until 2029.
The report adds:
‘GMS sources have been informed that Manchester United have still not made a final call on whether to sign a new first-choice option between the sticks or if Andre Onana is surplus to requirements, while Atletico Madrid has been pinpointed as another possible destination for Martinez if Jan Oblak leaves.’
